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(No Model.)

0. E SKINNEB. ELECTRICAL IGNITER FOR GAS ENGINES.

No. ss5,970.-

Patented Feb. 9, 1886 NITED S'rars g. arlsr rrics.

CHARLES E. SKINNER, OF YONKERS, NEWV YORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 335,970, dated February 9, 1886.

Application filed April 6, 1885. Serial No. 101,345. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. SKINNER, of the city of Yonkers, county of VVestchester, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electrical Igniters for Gas'Engines; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to the application of electrical igniters to gas-engines having two or more cylinders, or to gas-engines firing at each end of the stroke; and it consists in cer tain devices whereby one dynamo furnishes the current successively to the difierent igniters as required. It is intended to be used with igniters such as are described in Patents Nos. 287,855 and 292,178, but can be used in connection with any style of igniter using the electric current.

If the two or more igniters in the styles of engines described are connected in one circuit, the sparks necessary to produce the 8X- plosion could not be obtained, as one of the igniters would always be closed, forming a circuit through which the current would pass.

My invention consists in devices for furnishing the current to that igniter only which is brought into action.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan view, of a double engine to which is attached my invention. The pistons are single-acting, so that but two igniters are used. A A are the cylinders attached to bed B, with explosionchambers I I and valve'chambers K K. O G are the piston-rods, connected together at cross-head D. E is the connecting-rod, transmitting power to crank-shaft G through crank F. P is a longitudinal shaft, driven from crank-shaft G by gears N N, which are so proportioned that the shaft P revolves once to two revolutions of the crank-shaft. The valve-actuating mechanism (which is omitted in drawings, as not essential to my invention) is so arranged that gas and air are admitted into each cylinder on alternate outstrokes, thus producing an impulse at each revolution of the fly-wheel, one of the igniters firing at each outstroke of the piston. S is the dynamo furnishing the current for the'igniters. This is driven by the engine itself. by grooved pulleys s on crank-shaft G, and belt 8.

Fig. 3 is a plan, and Fig. 4 an elevation, (partly in section,) of my invention on an enlarged scale. M is a stand attached to cylinder A. On stud in, attached to this stand. vibrates the lever M, operated by grooved cam O on longitudinal shaft P. m and m are pins in stud M, surrounded by insulating material, at W. To these pins are attached. wires or m which lead to the insulated pins Z Z in the igniters L L. The inner end of lever M is insulated by insulating material, m", from the remainder of the lever. To this end is attached a pin, in, projecting through and vibrating in a slot in stand M. m" is a Wire leading from one pole of the dynamo S to the pin m. The other pole is attached to the engine at any convenient point, in, to form a circuit.

The operation is as follows: A charge of gas and air is drawn into cylinder A and compressed by the return of the piston into explosion-chamber I. The insulated end of lever M resting on pin or, a complete circuit is formed from dynamo S through wire in", pin m, insulated end of lever M, pin m wire in, insulated igniter-pin Z, (in igniter L,) noninsnlated igniter-pin Z, through cylinder and wire m back to dynamo. It will readily be seen that if new the current is broken between insulated pin Z and non-insulated pin Z within the explosion-chamber K and in the midst of the gaseous mixture, an explosion will take place, forcing the piston forward. Immediately this explosion has taken place, the cam 0 moves the lever M, so that the insulated end rests on pin m and a similar circuit is formed in igniter L, and when the charge is compressed in explosion-chamber K of cylinder A the current is broken in that igniter, and an explosion takes place. This operation is repeated as long as the engine runs. 7

I have described my improvement as most conveniently applied; but it may be somewhat modified in form and construction with out materially lessening its efficiency. I do not, therefore, strictly confine myself to the exact construction above described, as it is evident that this may to some extent be altered without departing from the scope and spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a gas-engine having two or more electrical igniters, a crank vibrating on a stud and operated by a cam on thelongitudinal shaft of the engine, whereby the electric current is furnished to each igniter successively, substantially as described.

2. In a gas-engine, a crank operated by a cam on shaft of the engine, in combination with the frame M, having pins m m, surrounded by insulating material, mm, and the wires m m the whole so arranged as to throw one or more electrical igniters in or out of circuit, substantially as described.

3. In combination with agas-engine having 20 more than one electrical igniter, the stand M, insulated pins m m lever M, having insulated end, and earn 0, substantially as described.

4. In combination with a gas-engine, the 25 dynamo S, having one pole connected with engine, the other connected with pin on in insulated end of lever M, and insulated pins m m in connection with igniters. L L, substantially as described.

CHARLES E. SKINNER.

Witnesses:

GEORGE A. MITCHELL, R. W. VAN PELT. 

